The Reluctant Rival

Christmas is coming to Odyssey, and John Whittaker has a house full of family: his daughter Jana Whittaker-Dowd and her children, Monty and Jenny, have flown in from Southern California for the holidays. Jana and her father joke about the argument they traditionally have on every visit and agree to save it for later. Jenny is a solemn, precise girl - her mother says she has brains like Einstein - and a violin prodigy besides, first chair in her school orchestra back home after teaching herself from books and tapes of classical music. When Whit learns she plays, he offers to ask Dan Bryant, the director of Odyssey's children's orchestra, whether Jenny can join for the Christmas concert in a couple of weeks. Jana hesitates, then leaves it up to Jenny, who very much wants to play.

At Whit's End, Connie chats with Sandra Underwood, a violinist on her way to rehearsal. Sandra has waited all year to play the violin solo in the concert and expects Mr. Bryant to announce it that afternoon. Instead Bryant, astonished by Jenny's playing, introduces the newcomer to the orchestra and hands her the solo in O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. Sandra is stunned, and at home her mother declares that Bryant is playing favorites with Mr. Whittaker's granddaughter and phones him to protest. Bryant then calls Whit: a special tryout will now decide who plays the solo. Whit concedes that the local kids wait all year for this program, but Jana confesses her real fear. Jenny has been through this before, praised by adults and resented by jealous children who can be very cruel, and the family came to Odyssey for a holiday, not for another controversy over Jenny's talents.

Jana's fear comes true quickly. Sandra and Rebecca corner Jenny in town, mock her hyphenated name, and warn that she will not get away with taking the solo, while Monty stands up for his sister. Jenny assures her mother that the taunts cannot touch her - crying, she says, would be a waste of lacrimal fluid - but alone in her room she breaks down in tears, and Jana comes back to hold her.

At the tryout, Sandra performs well while her mother applauds and cheers. Jenny's own turn leaves Jana bewildered, because her daughter could have played the piece with ease and somehow it did not show. Before any decision is announced, Sandra seeks Jenny out and apologizes for the things she said, and Jenny accepts. Over hot chocolate at Whit's End afterward, Jenny finally explains herself: watching Mrs. Underwood cheer for Sandra, and seeing Sandra's face as she sat down, was worth more to her than playing the solo. Bryant has promised to phone with his final decision, and no call has come yet when Whit tells Jana she should be proud of the daughter she has raised, because somewhere beneath that brilliant IQ is an equally brilliant heart. Jana wonders aloud how her children have turned out so well. Only by the grace of God, Whit tells her.